An earthquake of 4.2 magnitude has jolted Afghanistan in the early hours of Monday, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). The tremors occurred around 08.54 am IST and were recorded at a depth of 140 kms.The NCS posted the details of the earthquake on its X account. The epicenter was located at a latitude of 36.41 N and longitude of 70.94 E. This is the fourth consecutive earthquake to hit the country in the last four days.Earlier on Sunday, a 4.5-magnitude earthquake shook Afghanistan. According to the NCS, it occurred at a depth of 150 kilometres.Previously on 17 May, an earthquake of magnitude 4.2 struck the region.On 16 May, another earthquake of magnitude 4.0 struck the region. Experts suggested that deeper earthquakes are less dangerous than shallow earthquakes because the seismic waves travel a longer distance before reaching the earth’s surface due to which they lose their energy.Afghanistan has a history of powerful earthquakes. According to the Red Cross, the Hindu Kush region is a geologically active area where earthquakes occur every year.Afghanistan is situated on several fault lines between the Indian and the Eurasian tectonic plates, making it a seismically active region. A major fault line also runs directly through Herat. These plates meet and collide resulting in frequent seismic activity.According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Afghanistan remains highly vulnerable to natural disasters. This also includes seasonal flooding, landslides and earthquakes.UNOCHA noted that these frequent earthquakes in Afghanistan can cause damage to vulnerable communities that are already struggling with decades of conflict and under-development. These challenges have left them with limited capacity to cope with multiple disasters at once.
